Song
by 9ine
Summary: 39 : How much does Goku remember of his life with Konzen? More than he lets on, apparently.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Saiyuki belongs to Minekura Kazuya.

"Nee, Konzen."

"Na Konzen! Ko-n-zen!!!"

"…What is it now, bakazaru."

Konzen looked tiredly down to the floor where Goku's mattress was. The covers were tangled and a small figure was squirming, trying to free itself from a heaped up mess of arms, chains and blankets.

'Honestly, that kid. With the way he tosses and turns in his sleep it's a miracle he gets tangled only once every night.'

Konzen let out an impatient huff, climbed out of his bed and abruptly yanked the blankets with all the strength he could muster. There was a satisfying 'bump!' as Goku promptly fell out of the mattress, but the satisfaction didn't last because right after, he was greeted with an ear-blasting screech of pain.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!"

To hell with the person who claimed the gold of Goku's eyes was the bane of mankind. Konzen swore under his breath that the idiot had no idea what he was talking about; it was the monkey's voice that was life-threatening. Normally, it was chirping and happy but when he screamed… God forbid. Still, Konzen feels a slight twinge of guilt as he sees the rapidly spreading bruise on Goku's arm. The chains are heavy, and he chides himself for forgetting this detail.

Goku wasn't crying, but his eyes were suspiciously bright – like liquid gold. Sticking out his lip, he glared accusingly toward Konzen. For a while, Konzen absent-mindedly noted that Goku's eyes were truly an astonishing shade of gold, but he wasn't allowed to ponder for long. Goku started to jabber and Konzen realized the tell tale signs of a long night minus sleep. Acting on instinct, he quickly stroked Goku on the head with an abrupt, "I'm sorry," and pushed him back into the mattress.

Normally, that would have been enough to satisfy Goku, and Konzen returned to his bed, finally ready to get some rest (he needed it too, dammit), but it wasn't sleep that found him. Instead, a heavy silence filled the room. Goku didn't quite snore in his sleep, but he was never this silent. He tried ignoring the lack of noise for a while, but it wouldn't do. Sighing, Konzen gave up and opened his covers.

"Get in here."

Goku's voice came back quickly, "Nah, it's okay. I'm okay."

…and after a pause, a soft murmur that Konzen couldn't quite catch.

That bothered him. That he couldn't hear Goku.

"Come in dammit, I'm getting cold."

And Konzen was greeted with a small, hesitant ball of brown fluff and hard metal.

Goku got into the bed, but promptly moved to the farthest corner away from Konzen. When Konzen looked at him questioningly Goku grinned happily and said goodnight, but wouldn't get any closer. Normally, Konzen didn't like human contact; it made him uncomfortable. Still, this was somehow even more annoying, so he reached out and pulled the monkey close to him. Goku started, and mumbled something that sounded like "chains" and "hurt you" but Konzen had enough of it by then. "Shut up and go to sleep." Slowly, sleep crept into his eyes…

…only to be disturbed by a,

"Konzen, I can't."

On a normal day, that would have been the end of Goku – Konzen would have strangled him to death, but today, Konzen noticed that the voice was too small, the tone, too thin. Then he realized Goku wasn't budging at all. Stupid kid…

Almost drugged with drowsiness, Konzen reached out and clumsily, once again stroked Goku's hair. "It's okay …you're okay. Sleep. I'm not made of glass, just don't squeeze me. I won't break."

Konzen couldn't see Goku's face, he was drowsing off; but he felt happy squirming and heard a small voice humming a little tune. He could finally hear it again. Goku's voice. His song. That song of contentment.

To the lilting tones of Goku's song, Konzen finally embraced sleep, and as he drifted off he decided that it was his song, too.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Saiyuki belongs to Minekura Kazuya.

Sanzo resigns to his desk, ready with a pack of cigarettes, an ashtray and a cup of tea. The last item is not by his choice, but even he knows that alcohol will only slow the paperwork process - and that's the last thing he wants. He hears a bit of humming coming from a point where his feet should be, and although he cannot see its source, he knows that it's Goku. Apparently the monkey decided that the floor in front of Sanzo's desk is the best place to draw pictures. Normally, Sanzo would kick him out, god knows the monkey can be loud, but today, Goku seems content with being quiet. In fact, his lilting voice almost seems soothing – there's no melody to the sound, it's just a bunch of notes going up and down. Sanzo feels okay about it, and after taking in some smoke, he starts reading the documents to be signed.

A few hours later, Sanzo stretches his arms and looks at the time. He's been working straight with no breaks and he wonders why he finds that strange. Then, he remembers Goku. …Was the monkey still there? He doesn't remember the little noises residing, but he realizes that it's because the notes are now in his head, replaying themselves over and over again. In Goku's voice. When he leans over his desk and glances down he is surprised. Goku is curled up into a tiny ball, looking very defenseless and very much asleep. There is only one sheet of paper near his hands and Sanzo picks it up to have a closer look. A dull pang echoes within while he scrutinizes the scribbles. The crude lines seem to form a human figure – Sanzo recognizes that the yellow splotches must mean hair, and for a second he wonders if it's a portrait of himself. Then he realizes that it can't be – Although Goku is no artist, there's no way he could have messed up the yellow so much that it's all over the page. Sanzo concludes that it's a person. With a lot of blond hair.

Suddenly he feels something warm behind his ear, and when he looks, Goku is leaning over his shoulder, looking into the picture with an unwavering gaze. Sanzo's eyes must be playing tricks on him, after all, there's no reason for Goku to look… lost? Sanzo can't identify the expression he's seeing, but he notices that Goku's hands are clenched into fists. Sanzo slowly traces the yellow lines with his fingers.

"I was drawing a picture of you, but I got carried away with the yellow. I'm sorry."

The apology is sudden, but it stings for some reason. The hurt is quick and dull, and by the time Goku looks into his eyes it's faint, like a far-off memory. Goku almost looks as if he's testing for something, but Sanzo doesn't know the answer and he suspects that Goku doesn't know it either. Sanzo lets out a sigh and leans in; he rests his head on the small plane which is Goku's shoulder.

"Bakazaru."

And all the while, inside of his head, Goku's voice is singing that little song, and Sanzo decides that somehow… that makes everything okay. He ignores the tears that are falling off Goku's face into his hair.

"Baka."

And Goku's hands finally unclench.


End file.
